Buckle-guard.



No. 798,066. PATENTED AUGLZQ, 1905.

' T. N. MARTIN.

BUGKLE GUARD.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 14, 1905.

Httomegs ANDREW a. emum'a co. Pvmmnomwlms. wnsnmaron, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

THOMAS NELSON MARTIN, OF SHERIDAN, WYOMING, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOCLARENCE L. CHAPMAN, OF SHERIDAN, WYOMING.

BUCKLE-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed February 14, 1905. Serial No- 245.614.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS NELSON MAR- TIN, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Sheridan, in the county of Sheridan and State of\Vyoming, have invented a new and useful Buckle-Guard, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to buckles, more particularly harness-bucklesemployed at points liable to be engaged by the tails or manes of thehorses or the reins or other loose straps of the harness, and has forits object to provide a simply-constructed and easily-applied guard forattachment to the buckle to effectually prevent the tails or manes ofthe horses or the reins or other loose portions of the harness fromcatching upon or becoming entangled in the protruding portions of thesame.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.-

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capableof carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood thatthe invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes inthe shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may beresorted to without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of abuckle and its connected straps with the improved guard applied and inclosed position. Fig. 2 is a similarview with the guard in openposition. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.

The buckle isof the usual construction, formed of an oblong frame havingspaced sides 10 11, end members 12 13, and with a central transverse bar14, upon which the tongue 15 is mounted to swing and bear, with its freeend extending over the end member 13. The main strap 16 is attached inthe usual manner by riveting or sewing to the central bar 14: and withan aperture for the passage of the tongue 15, while the billet 17 of theother .strap is passed beneath the end members 12 13 and over thecentral member 14: and through apertures in which the tongue protrudesin the usual manner.

I The improved guard comprises a plate 18, pressed from sheet metal anddishing or concaved on the underside and with a loop 19 at one end forrotatively engaging the end member 13 and with an eye or aperture 20 atthe other end to receive the billet of the upper strap. The sides 21 22of the plate 18 depend over the side members of the buckle, and thuscompletely cover and shield it, while the loop 19 and dependingapertured end at 20 complete the incasement of the buckle and present asmooth exterior surface upon all sides, and thus elfectually prevent anychance for the entanglement of the tails or manes of the horses or theloose straps of the harness, as will be obvious. The terminal of thetongue 15 bears at all times upon the loop 19, which incases the endmember 13, and thus materially assists in holding the guard in positionwhen strains are applied to straps 16 17. The aperture 20, coming inadvance of the end member 12 at the other end of the buckle, serves as akeeper to the free end of the billet 17 and obviates the necessity foradditional keepers upon the main strap 16.

The member 18 may be struck up from sheet metal, preferably brass orsimilar compound, and may be of any ornamental or fanciful design andplated or otherwise ornamented or protected.

The attachments will add materially to the appearance of the harness andwithout material additional expense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- The combinationwith a buckle-frame comprising spaced side and end members and anintermediate transverse bar, a tongue swinging from said transverse barand extending over one of said end members, a plate having dependingsides and looped at one end around the end member of the frame overwhich said tongue extends and extending at the other end in advance ofthe other end member and provided with an aperture for receiving thestrap-billet after it emerges from beneath the adjacent end member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS NELSON MARTIN.

